News
Credit card reward programs have been around for a while, but do consumers actually benefit form them? According to consumer watchdog Choice, no they don’t. A recent study conducted by Choice found that the credit card industry offers little reward to consumers who spend less than $2000 a month on their card, with many actually […]
As the economy continues to slide, consumers are keen to pay off their credit card debt, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Figures show that credit card spending was down 21 percent in January from the previous month, and over $18 billion was repaid on credit cards, while $16.62 billion […]
The Senate has passed the Fair Work Bill with amendments made to the definition of small business. The definition of small business has been changed from 15 to 20 full-time staff, in a bid to protect small business from union’s right of entry and unfair dismissal claims. The Senate voted on the amendment proposed by […]
The latest results of MasterCard Worldwide Index of Women’s Advancement has found that women are bridging the gender inequality gap in the workforce. The Index saw improvements in all four categories of: workforce participation, tertiary education, proportion of women in managerial roles and the number of women earning above the median income. The Australian Index […]
Industry experts believe that the new carbon trading scheme will hit SMEs where it hurts – their pockets. The National Centre for Sustainability’s Richard Lester says that large companies caught under the proposed new laws are already beginning to put pressure on smaller suppliers to minimise their carbon footprint. “While the (legislation) at this stage, […]
Filemaker Inc has today announced the availability of two updated versions of the popular Filemaker Business Productivity Kit, designed to help small business be more productive. The FileMaker Business Productivity Kits are available for free with the download trial version of the new FileMaker Pro 10. Also on offer is the Email Marketing Guide, designed […]
Bullying and sexual harassment incidents in the workplace are not being reported, according to the latest CareerOne.com.au survey. The job site surveyed 788 respondents, and of those, 62 percent had been bullied and 29 percent sexually harassed. Most of the respondents who had been bullied (59 percent) or sexually harassed (74 percent) didn’t report the […]
Criminals, expatriate Australians and pets will be recipients of the Federal Government’s stimulus package due to the government not putting in sufficient legislation amendments to ensure the funds are spent in the most useful way for the economy. “[Rudd] could have put in the legislation amendments to the effect that the money needs to be […]
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) has refused to rule out possible job cuts within the bank, as they prepare for the worst. According to CBA chief executive Ralph Norris, the economy is set to get worse as unemployment rises and further threatens the banking system. “There’s no doubt that the toughest period in the […]
With the downturn affecting job security, an increasing number of employees are lodging false bullying claims in an effort to protect their jobs, according to Harmers Workplace Lawyers. The scary new trend has seen an increase in the number of employees lodging false claims of bullying from their employers and exaggerated workplace allegations, to protect […]
Peak employer bodies have backed Julia Gillard’s call for universities and vocational providers to better prepare graduates for the workforce so they can cope with economic change and rapid structural adjustments. The Australian Industry Group, the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Chamber of Commerce have told Higher Education Services that while employers are […]
China wants to exclude its export market from any treaty on climate change after estimates showing that export production comprises 20 percent of its carbon emissions. Importers of Chinese products need to take responsibility for the emissions caused by the products they buy, said Chinese climate official Li Gao: “We produce products and these products […]
Attaché Software have released a new publication entitled ‘Bullet Proof your Business: Debtor Reduction Strategies’ to help businesses reduce the impact of outstanding debts and increase working capital. The publication is available to businesses free of change and comes with a Debtors Ready Reckoner chart to help businesses evaluate outstanding debtor days, along with a […]
The Federal Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) has released a list of organisations recognised as an Employer of Choice for Women. In order to be recognised as an EOWA Employer of Choice for women, employers are required to implement female and family friendly work policies including: A minimum of 6 […]
The Government’s recent announcement to cut immigration intakes by 14 percent in a bid to protect jobs has been welcomed by AMP capital economist Shane Oliver.
Year 12 retention and a program for skills training are the latest tools to combat unemployment, with Minister for Education Julia Gillard targeting thousands of school-leavers and young adults to prevent them from becoming unemployable. According to government estimates, about 300,000 15–24 year olds are not engaged in work or study. “We don’t want a […]
The Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) has called on the big banks to reduce their interest rates on loans to small business, following NAB’s decision to reduce loan rates to micro-enterprises by nearly 40 percent. COSBOA CEO, Jaye Radisich has commended NAB for this initiative, believing it is a positive step for small […]
Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard and Senator Nick Xenophon are still arguing over the Government’s new Workplace Relations laws, with the definition of what constitutes a small business up in arms. Under the Government’s proposed Fair Work Bill, if a workplace has 15 employees or fewer, any one of those workers would be able to […]
Despite my first controversial blog, I’m still getting the same really small, yet really annoying things through into my inbox. On Friday, I received yet another press release addressed to a name that certainly wasn’t mine. My name isn’t Kelly. My email address should give you a good hint at that. (And yes, I’m being […]
Employees of liquidated companies stand to receive $150 million through the General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS) if the Federal Government manages to push extra funding through parliament. Initially budgeted at $80 million, the scheme will require almost double the amount to cope with the increase in redundancies. Minister for Workplace Relations Julia Gillard […]
